andrews



(No Model.)

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. W. K ANDREWS 8: C. R. TEED.

BLBGTRO THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS.

Paterited July 31-, 1883.

WW I P l w by u ns, mmum w. Wnhinglon. o. c.

(No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 2. A. W. K. ANDREWS & CVR. TEED.

ELEGTRO THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS.

Patented July 31, 1883. A

A. a A

Nv PETERS. ma-Limo n nm Wah'ngton. n. c.

(No Model.)

A. W. K. ANDREWS 85 C. R. TEED.

BLBGTRO THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS. N0-. 282,43"1. Patented July 31, 1883.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. W. K. ANDREWS 86 U. R. TEED. BLEGIRO THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS.

No. 282,431. Patented July 31, 1883.

N. PUERS. Pholo-Ulhuinpher. Washing'omjlC.

UNITED, STATES PATENT GFFIGE.

, ARIEL W. K. ANDREWS, on BinGHAMToN, AND CYRUS n. TEED, or,

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK,

ELECTRO -TH ER APEUTIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,431, dated July 31, 1883,

. Application filed June 20, 1883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ABIELW. K. ANDREWS, of Binghamton, county of Broome, and CYRUS R. TEED, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Electro-Therapeutic Apparatus; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription of the same. v

Our invention relates to electro-therapeutic apparatus, and includes a new method of applying electrical currents for the cure of diseases. The improved method consists in causing the currents toenter the body at several points,

and to converge and leave at a less number of points, or to enter at a less number and to diverge in the body and leave-at a greater number of points.

The improved apparatus consists of suitable cabinet or support for the patient, with-anumber of electrodes adapted to the various parts of the body, each electrode having its appropriate independent wire, asuitable battery,

and means for uniting and connecting any required number of said wires to either pole of the battery. It consists, thirdly, of improved devices for holding and manipulating the elec trodes, whereby they may be .more conveniently and accurately applied to the body of the patient; fourthly, in the construction and arrangement of the stool and its support; fifthly, in an improved foot-support adapted to be used as an electrode, or to keep the feet of the patient warm, or as a foot-bath sixthly, it con sists in improved devices for sending simuh taneous currents to different parts of the body, and causing them to converge in the body to one point, or for Sending a single current to one point and causing it to divide and pass by .our improvements may be applied.

separate wires to the opposite pole of the battery. p

In. the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a cabinetto which Fi 2 shows a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a section onbroken line a: x of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 represents the electrodes in plan, and

Fig. 5 in side elevation. Fig. 6 shows a per spective of the cabinet, with the conductors, the electro devia, and the battery. Fig. 7

(No model.)

represents in perspective the electro-devia,

with battery and electrode connections.

The cabinet A is of ordinary construction. Any desired number of ordinary electrodes, a, may be connected by flexible conductors to suitable binding-posts in thewalls the electrodes being preferably sponges set upon a copper backing. The electrodes intended for application to the back of the patient are necessarily held on rigid supports, or supports capable of being fixed, and it is desirable that they should be capable of adjustment, so as to fit any patient, or to vary the locality of application on the same patient. For this purpose we providea supporting-bar, D, fitted to a narrow slot in the wall of the cabinet. This bar is composed of a central piece, which fits l or down to the extreme limit above or below.

The front and back edge of the bar is curved inward from end to center, the ends being a little thicker and the middle a little thinner than the walls of the cabinet. On this curved outside we attach a strip, 3, similar to strip 2, fixing it firmly to the ends of the bar. A threaded bolt at the center projects through the outer strip, 3, and has a thumb-nut, which passes upon the outside of the strip 8". Loosen ing this fnut, the bar D may be shifted up or down. It is held at any point by turning the nut, which-presses in the strip 3 and causes it to bear against and adhere to the wall of the cabinet. The natural elasticity of the wood causes it to return when the pressure is removed; then the bar may be shifted to any desired point. In the bar D thus constructed we fit the rods 5 5,which carry the spring-electrodes 6 6. These rods pass through tubes 7 7. Each of these has anut or head on the inside,

and on the outside has a boss, 8, in which are set-screws 9, adapted to bear on the rod and hold it in any required position.

On the outer ends of the rod is a suitable handle, 29, and to the inner end is. attached IOO ' other suitable non-conductor; Thislatter plate is fixed to a slotted bar, 44, of thin metal, which is held upon a screw-stud, 15, in the head m. This screw-stud is provided with a bindingnut, and may hold two of the electrodes, as shown in the figures. Each has slotted bar 44, and bymeans of these slots the electrodes may be set at any desired distance apart to suit the needs of the patient. The head m is connected to the inner end of the rod by means of aflexible joint, so that the electrodes automatically adjust themselves to the form of the patient. The rods are long enough to permit the attendantto draw back or push forward the electrodes to any desired extent, or to turn them to any angle. This .he does by grasping the handle. The electrodes may be separated by loosening the rib on the stem of the head m. The conducting-wire is connected to the strap 13, so that it is not disturbed when the sponge is removed,as must frequently be done for cleansing. This construction gives every desired adjustment. The sliding bar D permits the whole to be moved vertically up or down. The electrodes of each pair maybe spread, or each pair may be turned, and all the movements may be made by the attendant from the outside after the patient is seated. The device is applicable to any kind of an apparatus of this class.

The seat F we prefer to make of cast-brass,

which may be thin,with a strengthening-flange around the periphery and radial strengthening-ribs running from the rim to hub. In the hub is set a screw, which passes through a nut 011 the upper end of a piece of gas-pipe fixed to the floor. Two braces, 17 support the tube and form a firm seat, easily adjustable in height. A wire connects the seat with the battery, and the seat is itself an electrode.

Underneath the seat is any suitable warming apparatus, G. In front of the seat we place our improved foot-bath or foot-warming apparatus, capable of use also as an electrode. It is a metal vessel, suitablyinsulated, open at the top, and having. a horizontal diaphragm, 0.

A hole is made in this diaphragm so that the lower part of the vessel may be filled with water of proper temperature in case it be de sired to keep the feet warm. If we desire to give a foot-bath, we insert the plug and fill the upper part only. In either case, or with no water at all, the proper electrical connections being made, the apparatus becomes an electrode for applying the current to the feet.

The conducting-wires for all the described electrodes, and any others that may be pro ,vided, are connected with binding-posts in the cabinet or case, by which they are extended to a device constructed for the purpose of dividing, converging, and diverging the electric currents in the body of the patient. By this device the currents may be divided into as many sub-currents as there are electrodes used,

and they may be diverged from or converged to any desired point of the body. By this de: vice anyopart or number of parts of the body may be reached and acted up on simultaneously, and any number of electrodes may simultaneously become the anode or cathode by thereversal of the current, which is here provided for. (By it both the faradic and galvanic current can enter the body of the patient at the same time, and also be divided and converged or diverged in or upon the body of the patient.) The metal plate H, which is preferably triangular in form, set on legs properly insulated, is provided with holes at the base of the triangle for any desired number of wires. These wires terminate in tips broadened at the top and stamped with the figures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, &c., to correspond with the electrodes in the case, which are also numbered 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, &c. as seen in the figures. By this means one can always at once connect any desired electrode in the case with the battery; or, instead of the tips being placed-in holes for the purpose aforesaid, they may be converted into hooks to be hung on a serrated wire at the base of the triangular plate, or converted into rings to be hung upon pins in the same. Below the metal plate are holes in the wooden base for the insertion of the tips of the conducting-cords not in use.

At the apex of the plate H is a hole for con-' nection with the battery. The latter is shown at K, with binding-posts connected to the positive and negative poles, respectively. Sup pose, now, that it be desired to direct a current of electricity to any part of the body. We connect the wire from the electrode to the plate H by means of the pin numbered to indicate the particular electrode to which it belongs. The apex of the plate is connected with the positive or negative pole of the battery. We then, according as we may wish the current to enter or emerge from that particular point,

stretch the wire leading from the electrode apcurrent is to enter or emerge, and connect this by its pin to the other pole of the battery. As under this arrangement of devices any wire may be selected for attachment, the current I may be sent from any part to any part of the body, but the apparatus is capable of much wider and more important application. The theory is, that the currents from sound and healthy portions of the body carry vital energies to diseased portions, and thereby produce remedial effects. On the other hand, it has been found that the current entering the body at a diseased point may carry the abnormal and unhealthy activities to other and sound portions of the body, and thereby derange and disturb them, but by their division and dispersal through several healthy parts this ha 7 bility is greatly lessened or entirely removed. These effects are produced by our apparatus, first, by attaching several of the-numbered pins' to the base of the plate H. If the apex is connected to the positive pole of the battery,

positive currents may pass simultaneously to those portions of the body in contact with the electrodes in connection. The current may be completed by connecting the electrode on any part of the body to the negative pole. Then the current concentrates in the body upon a particular part. On the other hand, by simply reversing the front connections, the currents may be; passed in an opposite direction, entering the body at one spot and emerging at several.

By connecting the wires with the triple pierced connectingpin 1), as shown in the figure, either one, two, or three, or more, currents may enter the body from the positive pole and emerge'from any desired number at the negative, or vice versa.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. An electro therapeutic apparatus consisting of a suitable cabinet or support for the patient, a number of electrodes affixed adjustably thereto, adapted to various parts of the body, each having an independent wire, a suitable battery, and connecting devices whereby any required number of the wires may be applied to either pole of the battery, all substantially as described.

2. In an electro-therapeutic apparatus, a vertically -adjustable bar, 1), carrying rods and attached electrodes, adapted to be clamped to the case, by means substantially as described.

3. The combination of the bar 1, curved 011' its outer face, with the inner and outer strips,

the rods having handles and electrodes, and the clamping bolt and nut, the whole being adapted to the slotted case, substantially as described. v

4. The rods having handles and passing through from the outside to the interior of the cabinet, said rods having a jointed head, and being combined with pair of electrodes on arms or bars attached to the head, substan tially as described.

5. In combination with the rod and its handle, the electrodes attached to arms or bars slotted and attached to the head of the red by bolt and nut, substantially as described.

6. The rod carrying a pair of electrodes on of, said rod being adapted to turn or slide, and being combined with aboss and set-screw, substantially as described.

7. The electrodes adapted to various parts of the body, wires connected therewith and terminating in broadened and stamped tips to correspond with electrodes in the case, a plate, H, stand h, adapted to the connected devices on said wires, a battery, and a wire 60 1 suitable arms or bars on the inner end" there- 

